Midnight Brings Comfort
by BlueDream1
Summary: Post spoon...What if the things had developed in a bit...different direction? :


**Author´s note:** This is dedicated to _**Ali**_ as a part of her b-day present. Happy birthday, hun. hug I wish you all the best and that you always remain as sweet as you are smooch p.s. And special tnx to _Rach_ for the help with this ;)

**Summary**: _One-shot._ _Set after the spoon scene_…After seeing Jack and Juliet together; Kate didn't run into Sawyer´s tent and make Biggest Mistake N°2; but instead rushed to face Jack, which resulted in a big fight between the two and Kate storming off into the hatch…_What happens when he catches up with her?_

**Warnings**: Angst, fluff, smut. This is my first fic of M nature, so I apologize if it sucks. shy I´d originally planned to keep it more angsty, but, the fluff-fan in me prevailed, so…you´ll have to deal with it :)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Lost or any of its character. If I did, Jack would have gone to help Kate with the dishes and things would have developed in a totally different direction ;)

_**Midnight brings comfort**_

Kate threw her head backwards, leaning against the cold shower wall. Feeling warm steam wrapping itself around her tired body, she found herself relaxing; finally letting the emotions of the day to take over her. _It couldn't continue like this anymore._ She didn't know what or how, but she´d have to do something about it. ˝Maybe it would be the best to move in the caves. ˝she thought, watching the vapor surrounding her. _She always hated the place; it was so dark and cold and it was making her feel caged, claustrophobic; but then again, seeing him with __her__ was making her feel the same._ She felt her chin starting to tremble slightly as the flashes of what had happened just a few minutes ago returned into her mind. _She shouldn't have lost control like that. She shouldn't have let her emotions outdo her reason._ She had broken her own rule. The rule she had set the night Tom died. _Never go along with your emotions. Never let your heart overtake your mind. ´Cause following the heart led to showing the emotions. And showing emotions led to being hurt._

_She felt a tear escaping her eye. And then another one. And another… Closing her eyes, she let the warm droplets of water soak her face, mix with her tears and then, hopefully…washing them away…_

……………………………..

She had no idea how long she had been there when she heard the sound of the door opening. She turned off the shower and quickly wrapped the towel around her body, checking if it was tightened enough before she stepped out of the shower.

˝J-Jack. ˝she managed to pronounce, barely recognizing her own voice.

He didn't reply; just turned around, closing the door behind. _˝What the hell was happening?_ ˝Kate´s mind was running fast as she watched him turning the door handle and, apparently locking them inside.

˝Jack…what´s going on? ˝she asked, a bit surprised by the trace of panic in her voice. _He was Jack. Jack would never hurt her, at least intentionally…right?_

Jack said nothing. Kate´s eyes shoot up, a shiver escaping her spine as she met his gaze. _He looked different._ The vein on his forehead was pulsating and his eyes…his eyes were cold, no sign of that tenderness he used to look at her with. He looked like a predator ready to jump on his prey.

˝J-Jack… what…what are you doing here? ˝she asked slowly, instinctively backing away a couple of steps rearward when she saw him heading towards her. ˝W-what are you…˝she started, but never got a chance to finish because the next moment she found herself pinned against the nearest surface; his body tightly pressed against hers and his hand firmly holding her arms above her head.

˝It´s over, Kate. ˝he finally spoke, his voice firm and hoarse. ˝This whole game of cat and mouse – it´s over. For the past few months we´ve been playing around, fooling both ourselves and each other. And I´m sick of it. ˝he said, his eyes still fixed at hers. ˝I´m sick of all the lying, I´m sick of pretending and I´m sick of making one step forward and then two backwards in this relationship. ˝he continued, finally tearing his eyes off of hers.

His head went sideways; his nose gently brushing the soft skin of her neck; making her swallow a deep moan. She tried hard to concentrate on his words, but with no use; all of her awareness vanishing quickly as she felt his hand slowly spreading her legs and sneaking in between them.

Jack heard soft moan escaping her lips at the sudden contact and he smiled slightly against her cheek; his hand gently caressing the delicate flesh of her thigh as he continued speaking: ˝I tried to move on, Kate. I _wanted_ to move on, and I thought I was doing quite fine in it…_until_ you came back. Until you showed up and with that one touch of hand crashed down all the walls I thought I´d successfully put up in the past few days. And before I could even perceive what had just happened, I was back here; back in all this mess, all this confusion and all this emotional chaos that I´d thought I´d never be dragged into again. ˝he said, his lips climbing up her neck; teasing, but not touching; making her lean into him a bit more. He extended one of his fingers and slowly dragged it over her sensitive skin; his mind almost going crazy at the touch of how wet she was.

˝And I can´t stand it anymore, Kate. I´m not strong enough, _emotionally_, to go through another disappointment. ˝he said, his hand gently cupping her underneath the towel, making her take deep inhale of breath as her eyes slammed closed. ˝So I need to know…˝he whispered into her ear; his lips brushing the soft skin beneath. ˝… if we´re gonna keep up with this, if we´re gonna cross this last line…˝he continued, keeping his hand steady as she slowly rubbed against it, too lost in passion to stay still. ˝I need to know that we´re in this together…that you´re with me…till the end. ˝he managed to pronounce; his own passion now building up, coming closer to a point from which there was no way back.

His lips went to her shoulder; licking, kissing and softly sucking the satin skin there; slowly going southern and then coming back to the base of her neck, nestling in the warm, inviting area.

˝Kate? ˝he called, gently nibbling on her neck. ˝Kate? ˝he repeated gently, seeing that she still hadn't answered to him.

˝Mmmm…˝Kate panted quietly; the soft moan being the only thing she could muster as all of her senses were focused on the feeling of his hand covering the most sensitive part of her body.

˝Kate. ˝he repeated again, stilling his movements in one last attempt to gain her attention.

˝Y-yeah? ˝she mumbled, a tone of frustration evident in her voice.

˝Do you want me to stop? ˝Jack asked slowly, having enough self-restrain to not keep going with this without her complete approval and at the same time praying that she would agree, because he had a feeling that he had just offered her his entire heart on plate, giving her the power to accept it or squash it with just one small word.

˝N-no. ˝Kate replied, becoming more and more impatient and trying her best to make him start moving his hand again.

Jack removed his face from her neck and looked up at her. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips partly opened and her curls were enclosing her face like a perfect photo frame. He noticed that she was still having her eyes closed and he could tell by the soft wrinkling of her forehead that she was getting irritated with his constant interrupting. He knew how she was feeling, because he was starting to get pretty impatient himself; but he wouldn't let that stand on the way of doing this right.

With one hand still holding her arms tightly above her head, and the other one resting between her legs; he had to find another way to get her to open her eyes. He contemplated the options for a few seconds; then forced his mouth slowly on her chin, his lips closing around the rotund top and gently biting on it, making her stop in her movements and look up at him with the expression that was practically screaming frustrated ˝_What now?!_˝

Jack had to use all of his strength to repress back the smile that threatened to appear on his lips at the sigh of the cute way her forehead wrinkled, pretty confident that he wouldn't live long if he started laughing at her in a moment like this. He waited for a couple of seconds; then locked his eyes with hers, his lips only inches from her face as he spoke slowly, emphasizing every word.

˝Are. You. Sure? ˝

Kate suddenly stilled, impatience quickly disappearing from her face as she looked at his eyes, finally realizing what he was asking from her. _This wasn't just about making love. This wasn't about her giving him permission to keep loving her. This was about her understanding the consequences of this decision. Understanding that there wouldn't be a step backwards after this. That it wouldn't be allowed to call it a mistake. Finally, this was him begging her to give the green light not only to him; but to their relationship too_ and, as she looked into the chocolate eyes, she knew she was ready to take that risk.

She looked him straight in the eyes and whispered slowly, hoping her voice would bring him the confidence he needed to continue.

˝I´m sure. ˝

Jack let a little sigh of relief; and Kate could have sworn she had seen a tiny glimpse of smug grin flashing his face before he leaned into her again; his lips fluttering just inches away from her earlobe.

˝Okay then. ˝he whispered seductively and before she knew, he eased one finger inside of her;

the touch making her arch her head backwards and close her eyes; trying to hold onto him as passion burnt through her.

He stroked her gently; then added a second finger; his lips gently sucking the flesh of her neck as his fingers worked inside of her.

He felt her starting to tremble and he quickened his pace, knowing she was close. His eyes went down on her and he could swear that she had never been more beautiful than she was then: her face a bit flushed, her lips parted; small beads of sweat appearing on her forehead as her body trembled in his embrace.

˝Come on, Kate, let go. Just…_let go_. ˝he whispered into her ear as his mouth closed around her earlobe and sucked on it gently.

And the next moment he felt her tightening around him as she finally let go, his name fluttering on her lips as she struggled to stay conscious, wanting the experience to last for as long as possible. Jack nearly came himself at the intensity with which her muscles clutched around his fingers and he had to press harder against her body to prevent her from slipping down, her legs too weak to support her own weight anymore.

He remained still for a few moments, allowing her to come down from high; and then slowly pulled out his fingers, wiping them against the towel as he gently pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes and listening to the sound of her breathing as it slowly returned to normal.

He bent his head; his nose gently resting on her cheek as both of them tried to absorb what had just happened. He let go of her arms and they slackened immediately onto his shoulders; her fingers gently tracing the curves of his muscles and her eyes still closed. His hands went down on her waist; his fingers circling soothing loops across the soft fabric of the towel, still wrapped around her body.

He felt her backing away slowly and he swallowed hard. ˝This is it. She´s gonna run away again. ˝he thought, feeling his heart sinking. _She was gonna run away and he´d be left here, alone, once again. _

But she surprised him as she suddenly jumped him; her arms wrapping around his neck as her lips found his; kissing him with such intensity he thought he´d pass out. Her tongue flicked inside his mouth while her hands worked on his shirt; her fingers frenetically tugging on its edges until she finally achieved her goal; her hands coming to rest on his muscular chest, caressing it slowly and exciting a groan from him at the contact of their skins.

She led him to the shower, discarding the towel somewhere in the process. Jack had barely had time to register the change before she pushed him into the cubicle and closed the door behind them; their moans and sounds of pleasure muffled by the soft trickling of water…

˝Wow…that was…˝started Jack, trying to regain his breath.

˝Yeah. ˝replied Kate breathlessly, her arms still wrapped up tightly around his neck.

She sighed happily and buried her face in the crock of his neck, closing her eyes and enjoying the warmth that was radiating from their bodies. They´d just made love two times in a row and she was literally feeling spent, not sure if she´d ever be able to move any inch of her body anymore. She felt him place one gentle kiss on her cheek and she smiled, loving the way he could be could be fast and passionate one minute and then tender and sensual the next one. She replied to his kiss, gently nuzzling the small hollow where his pulse was and then kissing it softly, enjoying his scent.

She felt his grip on her starting to loosen and she looked down. Realizing he was trying to put her down, she tightened her legs around his waist and he looked at her questioningly.

˝I…I don't think I can..._stand_. ˝she explained quietly looking down, feeling as if her whole body was blushing in embarrassment.

Jack looked down at her and smiled at how adorable she looked like with her cheeks painted crimson. He nodded and gently brushed his nose against her cheek, lifting her up in his lap a bit. He looked around, searching for a place where he could place both of them; because he wasn't sure he himself would be able to stand on his own for a very long anymore.

Finally his eyes fell on a large wooden chair standing outside of the cubicle and he grinned happily, turning off the shower and carrying her towards the chair. He sat on the chair and she followed, her legs still wrapped around him as she relaxed in his lap. His hand went to her hair and his fingers gently stroked her curls as the other one rested on her back.

They stayed like that for a few minutes; not talking, just clinging onto each other as their bodies relaxed. Her head was leaned on his shoulder and suddenly he felt something soaking his skin. He brought his hands on her shoulders, gently pulling her away; and saw that she was crying; small tears escaping her eyes and traveling her cheeks. She tried to cover it quickly with a smile, but failed as he brought his fingers to her chin and slowly raised it, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

˝Hey. ˝he said gently. ˝What´s wrong? ˝

˝N-nothing. ˝Kate replied; trying to wipe away the tears, but managing in it clumsily. ˝It´s just…I missed you. ˝she said quietly, looking down. ˝I missed _us_. ˝

Jack smiled softly.

˝Hey. ˝he called. ˝I missed us too. But it´s okay now. _We_´re okay now. ˝he said slowly, locking her eyes with his. ˝Okay? ˝he added quietly, gently wiping her cheeks with his thumbs.

Kate looked up at him and found herself facing his eyes; calming and reassuring as usual.

˝Okay. ˝she whispered and then leaned forward, pressing her lips on his.

She felt his hands going behind her back and joining just below the spot where her spine ended and her neck began, and she closed her eyes, leaning more into him and kissing him slowly, sensually; taking her time to explore the curves of his lips. Her hand went to rest upon his cheek; while the other one landed on the back of his head; her fingers gently stroking the hair that was now a bit longer than the first time they kissed. She felt his tongue gently probing between her lips, and she parted them instantly; his tongue briefly peeking outside to lick on her lower lip; then returning inside, wrapping itself caringly around hers then letting it go, only to attack it again with even more force and passion, though it seemed impossible. Together, they dueled; their lips dancing their own ballet as their tongues twirled; tasting, teasing, playing; until the need for air became too much for both of them to endure, and they slowly parted away; foreheads resting against each other as they fought for breath.

Kate shifted a bit, nesting more comfortably in his lap and suddenly felt him grow again inside of her. Surprised, she looked up and her eyes met his; the chocolate ones glistening with love and reawaken passion. She leaned forward and slowly brushed her lips against his; then backed away again; her arms wrapping themselves around his neck as she straightened up in his lap. She looked at him again and started rocking slowly; back and forth, and as he stared in her emerald eyes, he understood the silent message: _She was going to make him come, but not fast and passionate as he did the last two times; but slow and sensual; prolonging the pleasure and making this whole experience more private, more intimate. _

His arms fell down and settled around her hips as he held gently on her; not moving, but letting her take the control as she swayed slowly; her lips parted and her gaze still fixed on his face. He saw her eyes getting that familiar shade of blur and he knew that none of them would last much longer. _And he was right._

She rocked once more, and it was enough to bring him over the edge, his body jerking upwards as his eyes dug deeper into hers; struggling to stay opened, fighting against everything his senses were telling him to; determined to keep them fixed on hers, because what he saw in her eyes was something he never wanted to be detached from, something he yearned and craved for from the moment she walked off of him that day in the jungle when their lips connected for the first time. _Something called Love._ He could see by the expression on her face that she was struggling against the same demon, her forehead frowning in concentration, determined to ride this one out with him without losing the eye contact; but failing to do so as her passion overtook her senses and she felt her entire body starting to quiver in fervor as she felt his warm liquid empting itself deep inside her. Jack brushed his swollen lips against hers, hoping the kiss would pass her the strength to hold on, but all of his willpower died out as he felt her taut walls tightening around him and her fingers digging deeply into his back; his name escaping her lips over and over and over again as she clutched on him for dear life, like the anchor does with the sea bottom as the storm tries its best to undo it. The last thing he saw before his conscious transported itself to some other space and time was her eyes rolling back and her head arching backwards as another orgasm hit her hard, taking him with her as well over another edge of passion.

And then it was over. _Gasps and moans replaced themselves with silence, no words or sounds needed anymore to express what they both have been feeling, because the beatings of their hearts were already exchanging the secret whispers of their deepest emotions. It seemed as if time stopped, motionless, its every fragment insignificant now as the two of them kept clinging onto each other: body to body, breath to breath, soul to soul, trying to make the sensation last for as long as possible._ _Her arms wrapped up tightly around his neck; her fingers intertwined on his head; her lips closed upon his shoulder as she stayed still, afraid even to breathe as to not derange that unique feeling filling up her entire body. Jack stayed still too, enjoying the moment, enjoying being connected with her in this way, not only physically, but emotionally too. He could feel the rapid beatings of her heart against his chest; and the way her upper body periodically lifted up and down as she tried to regain her breath and the realization hit him hard exactly how much he loved this woman._ In the desperate need to show his love even more, he started moving slowly, swaying them back and forth, placing hundreds of soft baby kisses all the way across her shoulder, his lips calm and gentle on the smooth scented skin of her neck.

He kept swaying them for a few moments, until he felt her breathing returning to normal and then he decided to take a step further, his lips now climbing up her neck, licking the delicate skin just beneath her ear; then closing themselves around her earlobe and sucking on it slowly; causing a soft moan escaping her mouth as she dragged herself even closer into his hug. Jack kissed his way all the way up her ear; passing onto her temple, placing little kisses on his way until he reached her forehead, resting there for a while as his hands went in front to cup her head. He lifted her head slowly, encouraging her to open her eyes, and she obliged; finding his coffee ones staring at her with so much tenderness and passion she thought she´d melt right there and then.

Her hands lowered themselves to nestle around his neck, as she gently brushed his nose with hers; then backed away a little, locking her eyes with his again.

˝Hey. ˝she whispered quietly, her fingers gently caressing the back of his neck.

˝Hey back. ˝he replied, smiling as he saw light shade of pink starting to appear on her cheeks.

He leaned forward and gently placed his mouth to hers, his tongue flicking briefly across her lower lip, asking her to open herself for him and smiling against her lips as she consented, parting them and allowing his tongue access into her awaiting mouth.

She felt a jolt of passion hitting her body as their tongues met, her nerves still sensitive from the last time they made love, and she shivered reflexively, feeling him smile smugly as he deepened the kiss, and she knew he felt it too. _Two could play the same game_, she thought before twirling her tongue around his and then sucking on it gently, making him moan into her mouth and lean further into her touch, the smug smile miraculously disappearing from his face.

Pleased with herself, Kate kissed him once more; then pulled away slowly, not able to prevent a playful smile appearing on her face as she saw his dumbfounded expression as her lips left his.

She waited until he came to his senses again; then placed one small kiss on his lips. As she started to back away, she felt another shiver crossing her body, but this time she knew it wasn't from passion.

˝Hey…are you cold? ˝Jack asked, his voice going protective and concerned as he felt her shivering and saw little hairs on her hand standing upwards.

˝A little. ˝Kate replied, shrugging her shoulders before leaning in for another kiss.

Jack welcomed her lips, but only briefly; pulling her away gently as he straightened her up in his lap. Reaching his hand up to her hair, he touched the soft curls, realizing that her hair was still wet, and, as he now remembered, that it had already been wet before he came into the bathroom, which meant that she has been going around like this for more than half an hour. Not wanting her to get sick, he reached behind her and grabbed the large towel, putting it around her head and gently rubbing it in, drying her hair a bit before placing it on her shoulders and wiping tiny droplets of water off of her skin. He reached for her shirt and placed it around her, helping her get into the sleeves and then fastening the first few buttons on it. Kissing her gently once again, he lifted her up from his lap, getting on his feet too.

˝Come on, let´s get dressed. ˝he said as he reached for his boxers, handing her the panties in the meantime.

Noticing her blushing slightly as she took her panties out of his hand, he smiled, pulling her into a deep, soft kiss and showing her that there was nothing she should be embarrassed of; then letting her go and turning around to give her some privacy anyway.

Zipping the jeans, Jack turned around, finding her standing there in nothing but panties and the shirt.

˝Uhm…they´re in the washing machine. ˝Kate explained, seeing his confused look about the lack of her pants.

Jack smiled at her, offering her a hand.

˝Come here. ˝he said, pulling her towards him and giving her one juicy kiss; then turning them around, so that she was now standing in front of the washing machine. He helped her sit up on it; then reached behind her to take the dryer.

˝What…you´re gonna dry my hair? ˝she asked jokingly as she saw him putting the plug into the wall.

Jack looked at her and smiled, his smile telling her it was _exactly_ what he had in mind.

He nudged her slightly to spread her legs a bit; then sneaked between them; grinning slightly as he felt her wrapping them around him. ˝_Seems she likes this closeness as much as I do_. ˝he thought as he leaned in to kiss her again. Her lips were soft on his; her breath warm against his neck; and it took him a lot of willpower not to start ravaging her again; but he knew she was tired, both physically and emotionally. He knew she had been crying before he entered the bathroom, although there weren't any tears visible. He could taste them while he kissed her; dried, salt traces on her cheeks mixed with soft water droplets left from the shower. It has been an emotional rollercoaster for her today and he knew she needed a rest.

So he slowly pulled away from the kiss; his hands landing on her thighs as he pulled her towards him a bit, until she was practically chest-to-chest with him. He raised his head and found her looking at him, something about her gaze making him want to melt from the sudden rush of emotions. He smiled.

˝What? ˝asked Kate.

˝Nothing. ˝he replied as he shook his head. ˝It´s just…are you even aware of how beautiful you look right now? ˝he said, removing one of the curls that escaped on her face.

Kate smiled, feeling a bit uncomfortable. She felt her cheeks going red and she cursed her body under her breath for making her blush like a schoolgirl whenever he was around. But it was true. _She could act it cool as much as she liked, but whenever he looked at her the way he was looking at her right now; she literally felt her insides melting under his gaze._

He kissed her gently once more before reaching for the dryer again. ˝Come on, let´s get you dry. ˝he said as he turned the device on.

His left hand went to her hair, touching it softly, almost delicately as he used his right one to circle around with the dryer. He´d take one curl in his hand, twirl it around his fingers, let it loose; and then repeat the process all over again with the other.

He felt her relax as she leaned forward against his chest, her cheek coming to rest on his shoulder as she closed her eyes, enjoying the cuddling. She couldn't remember last time feeling so protected and at peace. The combination of mild blowing of the dryer and the gentle stroking of his experienced fingers making her feel drowsy and snuggle even more into his embrace, conscious slowly abandoning her...

Jack took another lock into his hand, her hair soft and silky under his fingers. Slowly, he brought it up to his nose, losing himself into the familiar scent.

˝Did you know your hair smells of guava? ˝he asked tenderly. ˝Kate? ˝he repeated, after she hadn't replied.

He nudged her cheek slowly, but she didn't reply; only stirred a bit; then relaxed onto his shoulder again. Jack turned his head sideways to look at her, affectionate smile spreading his face as the realization hit him. _She was sleeping_.

Careful not to wake her up, he turned off the dryer and gently put it aside; then took hold of her arms and gently threw them over his shoulders, so that they were now hanging around his neck. As slowly as he could, he sneaked his hands underneath her, seizing her thighs and gently lifting her up in his lap; letting a relieving sigh as she continued to cling on him as if he didn't move her at all.

He turned around to see if they left any trace in the bathroom; then, picking his shirt, made his way towards the door. Too focused on getting there without waking her, he didn't see the small bucket lying on the floor and cursed loudly as his feet hit the hard metal, causing him stumble a bit before regaining his balance.

˝J-Jack? ˝he heard her sleepy voice as she stirred in his lap, raising her head and looking confusingly around.

˝Ssssh, it´s okay, I´m just carrying you to the bed. You go back to sleep. ˝he whispered quietly into her ear and felt her relaxing at the sound of his voice.

˝´kay. ˝she replied sleepily before leaning her head on his shoulder again.

Jack waited for a minute until he was sure she had fallen asleep again; then reached for the handle, quietly opening the door and closing them behind again. Crossing the hall, he finally reached the bedroom, pleased to see that it was empty, because he would have had a hard time explaining someone, especially to Charlie or Hurley, what he was doing with almost naked, not to mention exhausted-looking Kate in his arms.

Going across the small room, he carried her to the bunk-bed and leaned down, un-wrapping her legs off of his waist and gently placing her lower body on the bed; then, squatting down, repeated the process with her arms too, until she was fully lying on the bed. She squirmed a bit as her head touched the bed and he thought she was going to wake, but she just brushed her cheek against the pillow a couple of times, finding the right position; then stilled again.

Jack stood there, unable to detach from the beautiful scenery in front of him. He watched her dark curls spread across the pillow like a cascade, and her slightly flushed cheeks making contrast with the whiteness of her face, and familiar, long forgotten lyrics came to his mind: _skin white as snow, lips red as blood, hair black as ebony_… _She looked like Snow White._

She squirmed again and he saw her shivering a bit. Bending down, he took the blanket and gently put it over her, placing one small kiss on her head before getting up.

He almost reached the door when he heard her voice.

˝Jack? ˝she called, her dozy voice telling him she was still somewhere on the line of dreamland and reality.

˝Yeah? ˝he said, turning around.

˝I love you. ˝she whispered quietly before leaning her head against the pillow and dozing into sleep again.

Jack looked at her, love and tenderness glistening in his eyes.

˝I love you too. ˝he whispered back; before leaving the room and closing the door behind.

_The End_


End file.
